Adam Hiatt Bonners Ferry Year: Senior Sport: Football Position: Running Back

It’s been an exciting week at Bonners Ferry High School. The school is buzzing because the Badgers defeated Lakeland in football for the first time in 14 years last Friday night, 22-20, behind the three touchdowns of Adam Hiatt.

“The whole student body was excited and some of the kids in school have been calling it the game of the decade,” Hiatt said.

Hiatt ran in two early scores and then caught a 41-yard bomb from Todd Van Gundy as time expired. Van Gundy rolled left and avoided an attacking Hawks defender before running to his right and throwing a strike to Hiatt, who was waiting in the back of the end zone for his 11th touchdown of the year.

“I got Adam’s attention and drew the play in the air with my finger so he knew to go to the back-right of the end zone,” coach Ted Reynolds said. “No one believes me that it was actually a play.”

People may not believe Reynolds designed the play, but there are few doubters that he’s been the architect of the resurgence of Bonners Ferry football in his first year as head coach. Two years ago, that list of doubters may have included Hiatt, but not anymore.

“I was immature as a sophomore, and Coach and I didn’t get along, but I started to listen and we get along great now,” Hiatt said.

The good relationship has rubbed off on the team, and the result has been a 2-0 start in Intermountain League play, despite a huge handicap that the team has had to face.

All of the players were forced to pay a $100 fee after the school’s levy failed.

“It’s been rough,” Hiatt said. “There’s a lot of good kids in the school that can’t play because of the fee and our turnout was down about one-third from last year.”

In order to pay off the fee, some of the players have to work after practice and still find time to study. Despite the tough schedules, the desire to make it to state keeps the Badgers going.

“No one thinks that losing is an option anymore,” Hiatt said. “The coaches have been telling us all year that we were the league favorites, and the team is finally starting to realize that they’re serious.”

It would have been tough at the beginning of the year to seriously favor Bonners Ferry to win the league, but this year the Badgers are no joke.

A victory Friday at Kellogg would all but guarantee a trip to state.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo